USA > Washington > Asotin County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 16
USA > Washington > Columbia County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 16
USA > Washington > Garfield County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 16
USA > Washington > Walla Walla County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
The first lots sold were those taken by I. T. Reese and Edward Evarts, both in block 13, the sale being recorded November 30, 1859. On December 22d, of the same year, 150 acres of land was surveyed into town property for Thomas Wolf and L. C. Kinney, the former soon selling his interest to the latter.
The original plat of the town is not now in existence, having been destroyed. probably by the fire of 1865. The earliest survey on record is a plat made in October, 1861, by W. W. Johnson, which purports to be a correction of the work of C. H. Case.
On November 5, 1861, the board declared the survey made by W. W. Johnson to be official, and W. A. George was employed as an attorney to secure for the county a pre-emption title to the land on which Walla Walla was built. W. W. Johnson was appointed to take steps to secure the title at the Vancouver land office, but he did not do so, and thus the effort of the county to secure the site failed. This ended what might be called the embryonic stage in the municipal life of Walla Walla, and we find the next stage to be actual incorporation.
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The City of Walla Walla was originally incorporated by an act of the Terri- torial Legislature, passed on January 11, 1862. By the provisions of said act the city embraced within its limits the south half of the southwest quarter of section 20, township 7 north, range 36 east, of the Willamette meridian. The charter made provision also for the election, on the first Tuesday in April of each year, of a mayor, recorder, five councilmen, marshal, assessor, treasurer and surveyor, all vacancies, save in the offices of mayor and recorder, to be filled by appointment by the council, which was also given the power of appointing a clerk and city attor- ney. No salary was to attach to the offices of mayor or councilman until the popu- lation of the city had reached one thousand individuals, when the stipend awarded these officers was to be fixed by an ordinance enacted by the council. The charter designated the following officers to serve until the first regular election under said charter: Mayor, B. P. Standefer ; recorder, James Galbreath ; councilmen, H. C. Coulson, B. F. Stone, E. B. Whitman, D. S. Baker, and M. Schwabacher ; marshal, George H. Porter. The council assembled on the Ist of March to perfect its organ- ization, when it developed that Mr. Schwabacher was ineligible for office, as was also Mr. Coulson, who proved to be a non-resident. Mr. Stone presiding, the council proceeded to fill the two vacancies by balloting, and James McAuliff and George E. Cole thus became members of the council, S. F. Ledyard being appointed clerk. The council again met, pursuant to adjournment, on the 4th of the same month, when Mr. Cole was chosen chairman; Edward Nugent, city attorney ; and Messrs. McAuliff. Whitman and Stone were appointed to prepare a code of rules for the government of the council.
Four hundred and twenty-two votes were cast at the first election, held April I, 1862, the following being the result: Mayor, E. B. Whitman ; councilmen, J. F. Abbott, R. Jacobs, I. T. Reese, B. F. Stone and B. Sheideman; recorder, W. P. Horton ; marshal, George H. Porter; attorney, Edward Nugent; assessor, L. W. Greenwell ; treasurer, E. E. Kelly ; surveyor, A. I. Chapman ; clerk, S. F. Ledyard. On the 11th of April, W. Phillips was appointed councilman in place of J. F. Abbott, while in the succeeding year it appears that H. Hellmuth had been ap- pointed in the place of B. F. Stone. The recorder resigned in January, 1863, his successor, J. W. Barry, being chosen at a special election held on the last day of that month. H. B. Lane succeeded Mr. Greenwell as assessor ; on April 11, 1862. Henry Howard was appointed treasurer, and W. W. DeLacy, surveyor, while in January, 1863, H. B. Lane was noted as clerk. The city revenue for the first six months aggregated $4,283.25, of which sum liquor and gaming licenses con- tributed $1,875. When it is remembered that this was at the height of the gold excitement, this last item may be well understood.
During the last quarter of the year the revenue of the new city was $2,714.19, but so large were the expenditures that the opening of the year 1863 found in the treasury a balance of less than five dollars. The value of property in the city was assessed in 1862 at $300,000, the succeeding year witnessing the increase of the same to $500,000.
Such may be regarded as the establishment of Walla Walla City up to the time of incorporation. During the period from January 19, 1859, the appointment by the Legislature of the Territory of officers for the county, down to the date of the incorporation of the city, the county organization had been launched after the typical American fashion. The two only absolutely sure things in this world-
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death and taxes-were established. It is certain that there were deaths in that time, and at the meeting of the county commissioners on May 7, 1860, a tax levy of seven mills was voted. At the same meeting the county was redivided into voting precincts for the coming election in July. It gives some conception of the points of the beginnings of settlements to note that the precincts were as follows : Walla Walla, Dry Creek, Snake River, East Touchet, and West Touchet. Coppei Creek was the dividing line between the two last-named precincts. The following extract from Colonel Gilbert's "Historic Sketches" will give a view of conditions :
"At this election the question of whether a tax for building a courthouse and jail should be levied, was submitted to the people, and though, as before stated, no returns are on file, a negative vote is indicated from the fact that neither were built at that time, prisoners being sent to Fort Vancouver for incarceration. From their official bonds it appears that the following named were the successful aspirants for office at the election of July, 1860:
Auditor and Recorder-James Galbreath. Sheriff-James A. Buckley. Surveyor-M. J. Noyse. Assessor-C. Langley.
Coroner-Almiron Dagget.
Justice of Peace, Walla Walla-William J. Horton. Justice of Peace, Dry Creek-John Sheets. Justice of Peace, East Touchet-Horace Strong. Justice of Peace, West Touchet-Elisha Everetts. Justice of Peace, - -William B. Kelly.
"No footprint of transactions coming under supervision of the board while this set of officers were acting, prior to October 12, 1861, remains, and we are forced to skip the intervening time, and commence again with the latter date. A county election had occurred in July, 1861, and W. H. Patton, S. Maxson and John Sheets appear at this time as the board of commissioners. November 5th, Sheriff James Buckley, who was ex officio tax collector, was appointed county assessor in place of S. Owens, who, having been elected in 1861, failed to qualify. On the 8th of the same month a contract was given Charles Russell to build a county jail at a cost of $3,350. He finished the work in 1862, was paid $6,700 in script for it, and in 1881 re-purchased the same building from the county for $120, and, tearing it down, moved it out to his ranch.
CONDITION OF THE COUNTY IN 1860
"Up to 1861, there had been nothing of special moment, calculated for inducing emigration to settle in the vicinity of the Blue Mountains. There was unoccupied land enough in various parts of the United States to prevent its soil from being much of an inducement, and, at that time the agricultural portion of Eastern Washington was supposed to exist in limited quantities. There was, practically, no market for farm products, as they would not pay the expense of shipment, and, outside of the garrison, its employes and dependents, there was no one to purchase them; still a few people had found their way into the country from
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Oregon, in 1859 and 1860, with stock, and had taken up ranches along the various streams. Very few came to locate with a view of establishing a home here, their purpose being to graze stock for a few years and then abandon the country, rais- ing some grain in the meantime for their own use, and possibly a little to sell, if anybody should wish to buy. Had the military post been abandoned in 1860, but few whites would have remained cast of the Cascades, and stock raising would have been the only inducement for any one to remain there."
Perhaps in no other way can we give so perfect a view of the Walla Walla of 1861 as by extracts from the first issue of the Washington Statesman. The be- ginning of the paper was itself one of the most notable events of the time. It was not only the first newspaper in Walla Walla, but the first in the whole vast region between the Missouri and the Cascade Mountains. We are indebted to Dr. Frank Rees for the opportunity to use the priceless treasure of a complete file of the paper for the period from the first number, November 29, 1861, through the remainder of that year and those following. We find at the heading of this paper that it was issued every Friday morning and that N. Northrop, R. D. Smith and R. R. Rees were the editors and proprietors, and that the office was on Main Street, Walla Walla, W. T. The rates of subscription were $5.00 per year, $2.50 for six months, and 25 cents for a single copy.
We quote here several paragraphs from the opening editorial :
"We send forth this morning, with our congratulations, the first number of the Washington Statesman, and respectfully solicit the attention of the people of Walla Walla and county to its pages. From a careful consideration of the de- mands of the people to whom we shall look for support in sustaining a weekly newspaper at this point, we feel warranted in the conviction that we are inan- gurating an enterprise which will be a means of vastly enhancing the develop- ment, prosperity, and permanent interests of this most favorable section of the upper country, and which, conducted with prudence and economy, will be reason- ably remunerative to its projectors. * * *
"That a weekly publication, devoted to the various interests of the country, containing all the news which may be gathered from different quarters, is essen- tially needed in the Walla Walla Valley, we premise no permanent resident will deny ; this admitted, we have no misgivings as to the disposition of the people to come forward and promptly sustain an enterprise so materially calculated to further their own interests as a community. Hence, we expect at least that every man who is fortunate enough to possess a home in this beautiful valley will at once subscribe for the Statesman, and pay for it in advance. Home pride will prompt every man to do thus much for the benefit of the vicinity in which he has chosen his residence, even if he already has more papers than he finds time to read."
Following this introduction the editorial points out the special need of the farmer, the stockraiser, the merchant, and the mechanic in the existence and sup- port of such a paper.
The editorial then proceeds to indicate its policy as follows :
"As indicated in our prospectus, the Statesman will be independent on all sub- jects. By independent we do not mean neutral; but, when occasion requires, we shall express our views fearlessly upon all subjects legitimate for newspaper dis- cussion ; and in doing this, we shall be our own advisers and regulate our own
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business in our own way. The Statesman will not be devoted to the interests or claims of any political party ; but ignoring partisan measures, will adhere to and support those measures which in our judgment are best calculated to preserve and perpetuate the bonds of our national union, under whose yet waving and revered flag alone we hope for success. Arrangements will soon be com- pleted for obtaining all the items of news from the different leading points in the mines, and from various places within this territory and Oregon bearing rela- tions to us commercially or otherwise. * * *
"The coming season with us at home will be an auspicious one. Adding to the importance of the developments which must immediately follow in the train of an immigration to the upper country in extent unparalleled, the course and prog- ress of which our people should all be made aware of-adding to this the mighty results developing in the East, it can readily be seen that material is afforded for making up a paper which will be indispensable to the people of this section, as well as those of the territory at large.
"We shall liberally distribute copies of this number in the different sections where we desire the paper to circulate ; and we take the present occasion to request the people generally of this valley and the upper country to call and furnish themselves with copies for distribution in their several neighborhoods, thereby lending tis a hand in obtaining a subscription list as early as possible."
We find most of the news items in this first number of the Statesman to per- tain to the mines in Idaho. There is a correspondence between Henry M. Chase and Capt. E. D. Pearce in regard to certain captive children in the hands of the Indians. The tone of this correspondence shows something of the strenuous con- ditions of those days of war and pioneer settlement.
The most notable local event apparently was the Firemen's ball, given by the members of the Union Hook and Ladder Company at the Walla Walla Hotel. This news item declares that the ball was a successful and brilliant affair and that the smiling faces and social congratulations of the large number of ladies and gentlemen present well attested how eminently successful had been the efforts of the firemen to render the occasion in every respect a pleasant one. The mottoes displayed in the room were quite interesting as showing what the ambitious fire- men of that first period wanted to set forth as guiding them. The motto of the Union Hook and Ladder Company was "We Destroy to Save." There were several mottoes from Portland and The Dalles fire companies, as follows: "Wil- lamette No. I, Conquer We Must ;" "Multnomah No. 2, On Hand ;" "Columbian No. 3, Always Willing ;" "Young America No. 4, Small, but Around ;" "Vigilance Hook and Ladder Company, We Climb;" "Dalles Hook and Ladder Company, We Raze to Save."
Another local item of some interest is to the effect that the Robinson The- atrical Troupe had been performing in the city for several weeks, almost every night having crowded houses and appreciative audiences. A little description is given of the new theater, which it states is situated in the lower part of town, but a short walk from the business part of the city. The city editor exhorts all the people in town to patronize this theater for the sake of spending a pleasant evening.
Another item of historic interest is the statement that orders have been for- warded to Lieutenant Mullan instructing him to send back his escort of one
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hundred United States soldiers, who had been laying out the great road known as the "Mullan Road." The party at that time was in the Bitter Root Mountains, and it was considered impracticable for them to cross those mountains in the winter season.
Although, as will be seen from the date of this paper, the time was the opening of the Civil war, yet it is noticeable that there was a great scarcity of information in regard to that great event. The latest news of any kind from the East is dated November 15th, just two weeks before the date of publication of the paper.
Another news item is to the effect that on account of an unpardonable delay in the arrival of material, press, and fixtures, from The Dalles, the publication of the first issue was delayed beyond expectation. The proprietors seem to feel very bad over this delay.
The advertisements in this first number of the Statesman are of great interest. Among a number beyond our space to quote here we find an entire column devoted to the wholesale and retail business of Kyger & Reese. They seem to have been prepared to deal in almost every conceivable object of need in the way of clothing, groceries, hardware, crockery, drugs, medicines, books and stationery, as well as some supply of the spirituous refreshments which were so much desired at that time. We find several advertisements of stage companies; among others the Walla Walla and Dalles Stage Company, which advertises to make the run be- tween the two places in two days. Miller and Blackmore were the proprietors. We find also the advertisement of Abbott's Livery, Sale and Exchange Stables on Main Street. The Oregon Steam Navigation Company advertises the steamers Julia, Idaho, and Tenino, running between Portland and the Nez Perce mines with portages at the Cascades and The Dalles. The fare from Portland to The Dalles was $8.00, with an extra charge for portage at the Cascades. Animals from Portland to The Dalles were $5.00. The fare from Des Chutes to Wallula was $15.00. A number of names prominent later on in the legal and medical history of Walla Walla, appear in the advertising columns. Among the physicians we find L. C. Kinney, L. Terry, R. Bernhard, J. A. Mullan, L. Danforth, and I. H. Harris. Among the lawyers we find W. A. George and I. N. Smith. We find a very small advertisement by D. S. Baker, in which the strong point is of a fire- proof, brick building. That was the only fire-proof, brick building in Walla Walla at that time.
By way of comparison with the present cost of living, it is of some interest to give the Walla Walla prices current as appearing in that issue of the Statesman. The following are the items :
Bacon-Per lb., 25C. Flour-Per hundred, $5 to $6. Beans-Per lb., 12c to 15c. Sugar-China, 18c to 200; New Orleans, 23c to 25c; Island 20c to 220; crushed, 26c.
Rice-Per 1b., 18c to 20c. Dried Apples-Per lb., 20c to 25c. Yeast Powders-Per doz., $4 to $6. Candles-Per 1b., 6oc.
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Soap-Hill's, per lb. 177/2c ; Fay's, 16c.
Tobacco-Per Ib., 6oc to $1.
Nails-Per 1b., 16 2/3c.
Butter-Fresh Rolls, per lb., 75c ; Oregon, 50C.
Eggs-Per doz., $I.
Oats-Per lb., 21/2c to 3c.
Wheat-Per bushel, $1.25 to $1.50.
The reader of that first issue of the Statesman would readily arrive at the conclusion that business was booming in Walla Walla and that there was a demand for almost all of the commodities common in any new and active com- munity. The philanthropist is somewhat pained indeed to observe the large amount of attention paid to the liquor business in its various forms. The Nez Perce mines and the various stage lines seemed to demand a large share of at- tention, both in advertising and in news items. After all, people are very much the same from generation to generation and we can readily infer that what the people of Walla Walla were in the '6os, their children and grandchildren are largely the same in this year of grace, 1917.
In the early history of the territory before government was organized to protect life and punish criminals, the miners organized courts of their own to try those who committed any crime within the camp, but there were no courts to try the criminals whose work was outside of the miner's camp. As a result crime flourished in the towns that supplied the camps and on the road between the town and the camp.
There were organized bands of criminals who plundered the merchant in the town, the packer and the stage on the road, and the miners to and from the different camps. The members of these organizations had pass words by which they could make themselves known to each other, routes along which they operated, stations where members on the gang were located. They also had members in every camp and town engaged in various occupations, trades and callings. Stage stand tenders and sometimes the drivers themselves were mem- bers of the gang, and when organized government was established they succeeded in getting themselves elected to the office of sheriff, marshal, etc. These men knew when every pack train started, what it had, where it went and how much gold dust it brought back on its return; watched every stranger and learned his business ; took notice of every good horse ; knew of the departure of every stage, the number of passengers and the probable treasure carried. The lone traveler was robbed of his horse by a false bill of sale. The returning packers were held up, robbed and sometimes murdered. The stage was stopped, the passengers ordered out and relieved of all their money and other valuables. Frequently the Wells Fargo box containing thousands of dollars would be among the prizes taken from the stage.
One of the most noted of these road agents was Henry Plummer. He came of a good family, was gentlemanly in bearing, dignified in deportment, of strong executive ability and a fine judge of human nature. While a young man he drifted west, became a successful gambler and acquainted with various phases of a criminal's life. In the spring of 1861 he came to Lewiston, Idaho. This town was then the head of navigation on the Snake River, had a population of
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several hundred, among whom were thieves, gamblers, escaped convicts and criminals of all kinds. These he organized into a band of highwaymen, to operate on the road between Walla Walla, Washington, and Orofino, Idaho, directing the operations from Lewiston which was a midway ground. Two sub- stations were located, one at the foot of Craig Mountain, east of Lewiston, and the other west, at the junction of Alpowai and Pataha creeks. These were called "shebangs" and were the rendezvous of a band of robbers. Soon robberies and murders on this road were common, but the respectable, law abiding citizens were in the majority and they soon organized themselves into a law and order body, which made the operations of the robber gang dangerous and unprofitable.
The mines at Orofino were soon worked out. This, together with the citizen's organizations and the fear on the part of Plummer of being exposed for crimes committed by him while in California, caused him to flee from Idaho and go to Montana. Upon his arrival there he apparently desired to reform and live the life of a law abiding citizen. He married a nice young woman and entered upon an honorable means of earning a living. But he was a criminal by nature, environment and practice and not strong enough, had he desired it, to break with his old associates and habits and like all criminals was haunted by fear of detection.
When he left Idaho a companion by the name of Cleveland went with him. They were together when Plummer was married near Fort Benton and they both a little later went to Bannack. He and Cleveland had a bitter quarrel over the young lady who married Plummer. This, together with his fear of his associates in crime, made him suspicious and in a saloon brawl a short time later he shot Cleveland. This started him again on a carnival of crime that has no parallel in the history of the Northwest, and just as he had organized the criminals when in Idaho, he again organized them in Montana on a much larger scale. These men were bound by an oath to be true to each other and were required to per- form such service as came within the defined meaning of their separate positions in the band. The penalty of disobedience was death. If any one of them, under any circumstances, divulged any of the secrets or guilty purposes of the band, he was to be followed and shot down at sight. The same doom was prescribed for any outsider who attempted an exposure of their criminal designs, or arrested any of them. Their great object was declared to be plunder in all cases, without taking life if possible, but if murder was necessary, it was to be committed. Their password was "innocent." Their neckties were fastened with a sailor's knot, and they wore mustaches and chin whiskers. Plummer himself was a member of the band.
The duties of these men may be gained from the work assigned them as revealed by one of their number. Henry Plummer was chief of the band; Bill Burton, stool pigeon and second in command; George Brown, secretary; Sam Burton, roadster ; Cyrus Skinner, fence, spy and roadster ; George Shears, horse- thief and roadster; Frank Parrish, horse-thief and roadster; Hayes Lyons, tele- graph man and roadster: Bill Hunter, telegraph man and roadster; Ned Ray, council-room keeper at Bannock City; George Ives, Stephen Marshland, Dutch John (Wagner), Alex Carter, Johnny Cooper, Buck Stinson, Mexican Frank, Bob Zachary, Boone Helm, Clubfoot George (Lane), Billy Terwiliger, Gad Moore, roadsters.
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But Plummer soon ran his course. He was captured and had to pay the penalty for his crimes. "Red" Yager, a member of Plummer's gang, was hanged by a vigilance committee. Before his execution he made a confession, giving the names of all the members of the band and stating that Plummer was the leader. Plummer, with two others of the organization, were at Bannock. No trouble was experienced in arresting the other two, one being captured in a cabin, the other stretched out on a gambling table in a saloon. But great care had to be exercised in the arrest of the leader of the band, who was cool-headed and a quick shot. Those detailed to capture him went to his cabin and found him in the act of washing his face. When informed that he was wanted he mani- fested no concern but quietly wiped his face and hands. He announced that he would be ready to go within a short time, threw down the towel and smoothed out his shirt sleeves, then advanced toward a chair to get his coat, but one of the party, by great good fortune, saw a pistol in the pocket and replied, "I will hand you your coat," at the same time taking posession of the pistol. Otherwise Plummer would likely have killed one or all of those attempting to capture him. He, with the other two criminals arrested were escorted in the bright moonlight night to the gallows which Plummer himself had erected the year before and used in the hanging of a man, he being at that time sheriff. As they appeared in sight of the gallows the other criminals cursed and swore, but Plummer was begging for his life. "It is useless," said one of the vigilantes, "for you to request 11s to spare your life, for it has already been settled that you are to be hung." Plummer then replied, "Cut off my ears, cut out my tongue, strip me naked, let me go. I beg you to spare my life. I want to live for my wife, my poor absent wife. I want to settle my business affairs. Oh, God." Then falling upon his knees, the tears streaming from his eyes, and with his utterance choked with sobs, he continued : "I am too wicked to die. I cannot go bloodstained and unforgiven into the presence of the Eternal. Only spare me and I will leave the country." But all this was to no purpose. His time had come and the leader's stern order. "Bring him up," was obeyed. Plummer, standing under the gallows, took off his necktie, threw it to a young man who had boarded with him, saying, "Keep that to remember me by," and then turning to the vigilantes, he said, "Now, men, as a last favor, let me beg that you will give me a good drop." The favor was granted and Plummer, one of the most noted outlaws ever known to the Northwest, was no more.
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